The Dinner
by helgashouse
Summary: Sansa and Tyrion are having trouble with their new marriage under the circumstances. Tyrion's family aren't doing anything to help matters.
1. Chapter 1

Sansa looked round at her chambers. Her and Tyrion's chambers. She had to keep correcting herself. The marriage had not necessarily been going badly itself, but Sansa just didn't know whether or not she could trust Tyrion. His family had just been involved in the murder of the last of her family. As far as she knew. Arya could still be out there, but it was unlikely. She was now and forever officially stuck with Tyrion, at King's Landing. That was until she became pregnant, then she would be able to return to Winterfell. Not that it would be the same. And not to mention that fact that that would mean Tyrion coming near her. There was no way around it that she could think of, apart from running away; but would she survive? There's no way of knowing. Until the time came when might actually feel comfortable enough around Tyrion for her to become pregnant, she would just have to make do with having a husband from an evil family, with the constant threat of rape and harm from Joffrey. It was going to be a long, harsh life. There was no doubt about that.

The death of her mother and brother had been hard on Sansa, of course, and Tyrion was doing his best to try and improve the situation for them both. Or, at least, he was trying to keep Sansa comfortable. He had promised not to touch her until she wanted him to. However, with this being their only escape, it was better that it happened sooner rather than later. For Sansa's sake, they couldn't stay at King's Landing for much longer; it just wasn't safe.

Sansa looked around at the pretty furniture, and the large bed, and wondered for the millionth time if she would ever be ready to except her husband in her bed. Her mother had not loved her father when they got married, but Sansa had never thought that she may one day be in the same position. She was so stupid as a child to think that she could one day be queen. Of course, she still was a child; or, at least, that's how Lord Tyrion saw it. They could get on well when they both tried, but it rarely happened.

Today, Tyrion had been in meetings since morning. He would be back soon, as it was coming up to sunset, so they would be required to eat together; to keep up good appearances, as Tyrion so often reminded her. He would come in, tentatively ask her how her day had been, to which she would reply the same as usual: walking, embroidery (there were rarely changes in Sansa's day to day routine). After the small talk was out of the way, they would sit, and the wine would be poured, the food served, and they would sit and eat in near silence. Tyrion would try to make conversation, and Sansa would give the same courteous responses that she had become so accustomed to saying. This would go on until Sansa said she was tired, and they would go to bed. Or rather, Sansa would go to bed, and Tyrion would either sleep on the sofa, or go and read in the library and fall asleep where he sat.

Sansa was prepared for the evening to progress, though she was not particularly looking forward to it, when Tyrion walked in. He had a look on his face. A look that told Sansa that she would not like the news to come. And she didn't. He started, "My brother and sister have asked to eat with us this evening. They will be along shortly. I am sorry, I did try to convince them that now was not a good time for you to be socialising, given the current situation and recent occurrences, but Cersei seems to have it in mind that you are now a Lannister, and that you should behave like one, and not care about your family. I do apologise, and will try to do better at changing their minds, should there ever be a next time, which hopefully there won't".

Sansa stared at him for a good fifteen seconds, before replying in her usual manner, "of course, My Lord".

"Tyrion. If we must live together, then please, call me Tyrion."

"Very well, Tyrion" She started to move towards the door, "I'll just go ask Shae to bring us more food and wine"

"There's no need, I've already seen to it"

"I'd like to go for a short walk anyway. Just to clear my head"

"Very well," Tyrion watched his young wife as she left. He would try to convince her to stay and wait there, but he didn't want to risk scaring her even more. It was becoming increasingly harder to get her to trust him. He couldn't blame her though; and he was dreading dinner tonight, just the four of them. It's like they were trying to torture poor Sansa even more than they already had. It's not even like Cersei and Jamie were on good terms at the moment. Tyrion just couldn't understand their reasons; unless of course their father had put them both up to it, to check up on their marriage. It wouldn't surprise him. Perhaps he should just be blunt and ask them as they were eating. But again, he didn't want to distance Sansa any more from him. Being married was a lot harder than he ever thought it would be.


	2. Chapter 2

Cersei and Jamie arrived together. Sansa hadn't returned yet, and Tyrion was starting to worry whether she would make it back at all that evening.

"Perhaps you should keep better control over your wife, little brother," Cersei mocked. She had that look upon her face that said she thought she was better than everybody else. She wasn't, of course, and she and everyone else knew it; but it didn't stop her.

"Perhaps it would be better if we treated her like a person, rather than a sheep. And perhaps if we stopped killing off her family, then she may warm to us all. Perhaps then, she would be willing to let me into her bed," Tyrion was getting tired of the way they were treating Sansa. It wasn't fair on the girl, she didn't ask for any of this.

"We're Lannisters, Tyrion. We do what our father tells us, and we pretend that it's for the greater good. Everybody hates us, and always will. Unfortunately, there is no cure for it. At least, not one that I can see in the foreseeable future"

Tyrion looked at his brother, "of course it's not in the foreseeable future, otherwise you'd be able to see it, surely? Perhaps one day though, our descendents will not be looked upon with as much hate as we are now. I cannot see any child of Margery's being hated. And any child of Sansa and myself would not stand for anything so foul, I'm sure"

"That witch could not care less about our family. She is marrying Joffrey for her own personal gain, I'm sure"

"Well, of course she is. Why else would anyone marry that boy? He-"

"I think that's quite enough, Tyrion, thank you," Jamie was tired of the constant confrontation between the three of them, "Let's not argue. If Sansa hears us arguing from outside the door, do you really think she'll want to join us? No, of course she won't. She'll run away. Why will she run away? Because she's a child, and she is scared; I don't blame her, really. How could anyone ever _want_ to marry into our family? Now let's just try and get along, for her sake, if not for our own"

"For once, I'm going to have to agree with Jamie. I think more wine is in order," and with that, Tyrion turned to find a squire, "could you please fetch us some more wine? I think we may be waiting for a little while longer"

Cersei suppressed a sigh. It was going to be a long evening.

When Sansa finally turned up for dinner, she found her husband and his siblings sat round the table in silence, "Good evening You Grace, Sir Jamie, My Lord."

"Sansa!" Tyrion was surprised she had made it back at all, "we were starting to think you would never return. I trust that your walk was enjoyable?"

"Yes, My Lord. It was, thank you," she sat herself down between Tyrion and Cersei, and looked down at the table.

"How are you My Lady? I trust that my brother has been treating you well? I know what he can be like," Jamie started the conversation, not wanting to upset anyone when it was unnecessary.

Sansa gave him a small smile, "well, Sir Jamie, thank you for asking," and she returned to look back at the table.

Cersei looked away from Sansa to address the other three, trying to lift some of the tension, "I think it's about time we got some food on this table, we've waited quite long enough all ready," and she shot Sansa a sickly sweet look, she didn't have to make this time better for everyone, and Sansa definitely wasn't on the top of her list. In fact, she had no real reason to be particularly nice to anyone this evening.

"Good idea, sister," Turning again to the squire, he asked, "if you would please."

The silence continued for a few minutes as they started eating. All were looking around at the others, thinking who's ridiculous idea this was to have a meal with the little brother she hates, she sister in law she possibly hates even more, and the brother who can't understand that she doesn't want to know him right now. "Come on now Cersei," Tyrion thought he had better say something, even if it was just encouraging someone else to speak, "It was your idea to have this little get together, after all. It just seems a little rude with you sat in silence there"

"Sansa and yourself are the hosts here, are you not? Perhaps you could divulge what your marriage has been like so far. Sansa has assured us that you have been treating her well, but are you getting along. It would be pleasant to know that your marriage has not been in vain."

"Is that supposed to be some cruel joke?" Sansa was gland that Tyrion had said what she was talking, because she was fairly sure that she would not have gotten away with it.

"Why would I joke about something like marriage? You have to spend the rest of your lives together. I just wanted to be sure that you won't be too unhappy, that's all" Cersei smiled at Tyrion, then glanced over to Sansa, where her smile dropped slightly.


End file.
